Alumni win fifth straight in wet, wild game

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat Chip Hale (5), of the Anaheim Angles, beats out the throw home to score one of the eight All-Pro Alumni runs. For the fifth straight year the Arizona All-Pro Alumni bested the Wildcats 8-6 in yesterday's rain shortened game.

The Alumni won 8-6 in a rain-shortened game, largely thanks to Brian Becker's three-run shot in the bottom of the fifth.

"It felt really good," said Becker, currently in the Tampa Bay Devil Rays farm system. "I was just sitting back, just trying to put the ball in play. I hit it to the gap and it just carried."

Becker's homer gave the Alumni team the win, but at least one former player was impressed with the current Wildcats.

"They've got a good team this year," outfielder Casey Candaele of the Cleveland Indians said. "It's the best I've seen in a while."

The current Wildcats are 11-0, but could not match the Alumni over five innings.

Arizona struck first on back-to-back RBI singles by first baseman Kenny Corley and right fielder Colin Porter. The Alumni hit back on Candaele's two-run single in the bottom of the second.

UA starter Tyler Haddix said before the game if he could pitch around any one player on the Alumni team, "I'd pitch around all of them, but then (pitching) coach (Bill) Kinneberg would get mad."

Haddix fared well giving up only two runs and striking out Padres third baseman George Arias and Rockies shortstop Jason Bates.

On the offensive end, UA freshman center fielder Jason Shroyer hit a homerun off San Diego Padre closer Trevor Hoffman in the top of the fourth inning.